What are Outpatient Alcohol and Drug Rehab Programs?

Outpatient treatment is a counselling service offered once or twice a week with, typically,
one to three hours per session. The number of sessions may vary depending on progress of
client. Outpatient treatment can be provided on a one-on-one or group basis.

Government outpatient clinics are typically provided in community-based clinics at minimal
or no cost to the client. Most clinics are funded by provincial health authorities.

When locating programs for adolescents, remember that the age of majority (18 or 19
years of age) varies from province to province. Also, some adolescent programs accept
young adults up to the age of 25 years. To ensure you or a family member qualifies for an
adolescent drug rehab program, contact the service provider directly.

(3) Intensive outpatient treatment is a type of outpatient treatment that is offered several
hours per day, several days (or nights) per week for several weeks. The client returns home
every day after treatment. Clients who require more than one or two sessions a week but
cannot (or refuse to) attend residential drug rehab may find this an acceptable alternative.
Other terms for intensive non-residential treatment are IOP (Intensive Outpatient)
intensive non-residential treatment, day treatment, and day/evening/weekend (DEW)
treatment.

How do I Select the Right Private Practice Therapist?

An alternative to government outpatient clinics are a variety of private practice therapists ranging from professional (certificate or diploma level) counsellors, to master\B4s level therapists to doctorate level psychologists. Scott Harrison at Sunwood Counselling has an excellent article on Choosing a Counsellor as does Psychology Today

Psychologist

Psychiatrist

Medical Doctor

Counsellor

Social Worker

Psychological Assessment

X

X

Prescribe Medications

X

X

Addiction Therapy(4)

X

X(1)

X

X(3)

Mental Health Therapy(4)

X

X(1)

X(2)

X(3)

Case Management

X

Diploma

X

Master's Degree

X

X

Doctoral Degree

X

X

(1) Psychiatrists generally have less contact time w/ clients and use medications as the main method of treatment.

(2) To provide mental health therapy a therapist should have a master\B4s degree specializing in psychology.

(3) To provide therapy social workers should have a master\B4s degree (MSW) or additional counselling training.

(4) For the purpose of this chart, "therapy" is defined as any form of treatment for psychosocial or emotional difficulties, behavioural maladaptations and/or problems that are assumed to be of an emotional nature.

1. Find a Licensed or Certified Provider

The term "counsellor" or "therapist" is not a regulated term so anyone can advertise
themselves as being a counsellor regardless of training or experience (unlike the term
"doctor" or "nurse"). As a result, if you are looking for a counsellor or therapist you may want
to consider one that is certified.

Certification is based on the voluntary action of an occupational or professional group to
institute a system by which it can grant recognition to those practitioners who have met
some stated level of training and experience. Such individuals are granted a certificate
attesting to the fact that they have met the standards of the credentialing organization and
are entitled to make the public aware of their credentialed status.

Adverse publicity and other forms of peer pressure are usually sufficient to discourage a
non-certified practitioner from making unwarranted claims about his or her certified status.
Source: American Counseling Association

2. Level of Education

Therapists typically register with professional associations after reaching a certain level of
education and experience. The private practice therapists listed in canadadrugrehab.ca have
indicated in other directories that substance abuse is one of the disorders that they treat in
their practice. Canadadrugrehab.ca suggests conducting a phone interview before booking
an appointment. Many counsellors offer free 30 minute initial consultations.

You may want to familiarize yourself with the following professionals to understand their
unique skill sets:

Clinical Psychologists and Counselling Psychologists often work in clinics, counseling or
treatment centers, hospitals and private practices. Psychologists with a Ph.D. are fully trained
in the assessment and treatment of all behavioral conditions, from anxiety and depression
to anger and resentment (American Psychological Association). Psychologists use tools such
as cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal psychotherapy, energy psychology and hypnosis
to treat patients. A Ph.D. is earned in four to seven years and the required supervised
practicum usually take a year.

Psychologists are not to be confused with Psychiatrists (see above) although both are
qualified to provide psychological assessments. Psychiatrists generally spend shorter
periods of contact time with clients/patients, and the principle method of treatment is
psychopharmacology (medication).

Conversely, clinical and counselling psychologists generally rely more upon psychological
assessment and the use of psychotherapy to relieve psychological distress. It is not
uncommon for people suffering from addiction and mental illness to combine the
pharmacology skills of psychiatrists with the psychotherapeutic skills of a psychologist.
Source: Wikipedia.org

Therapists can become registered psychologists after completion of doctoral-level (*)
training, required supervised practicum and written and oral licensing examinations. Check
the Outpatient Alcohol and Drug Rehab Program section in your home province for more
information.

Academic Degrees or Professional Licenses (abbreviations in parentheses):

Doctorate Level Psychologists

Doctor of Education (EdD) (often work with children and adolescents)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Master\B4s Level Psychologists

Master of Art (MA)

Master of Education (MEd)

Master of Science (MSc)

Registered Psychologist (Rpsych) (*)

(*) Note: At the time of this writing, a few provinces still accept a master\B4s degree as the
minimum formal education requirement.

Currently, Counselling Therapists are not regulated in Canada so anyone, regardless of
training, can call themselves a counsellor or therapist. Many provinces are considering
legislation that would "mandate by law" who can or cannot call themselves a counsellor or
therapist.

Several voluntary associations exist in Canada that require members to meet standards and
demonstrate to the public proficiency in counselling. Members of these associations are
qualified to address many clinical mental health issues through assessment, prevention,
and treatment/intervention. Members must hold a relevant Master\B4s degree (counselling,
clinical or educational psychology, pastoral counselling, marital and family counselling,
clinical social work, psychiatric nursing, and applied behavioral sciences) from an institution
acceptable to the association.

A Social worker works with an individual in the context of the wider community. They
often provide services as members of a multidisciplinary team or on a one-to-one basis with
the client. The duties performed by social workers vary depending on the settings in which
they work. Social workers in private practice offer their services on a fee-for-service basis to
individuals, families and organizations. The MSW typically requires two to four years of study
(National Association of Social Workers).

Doctor of Social Work (DSW or Ph.D.)

Master of Social Work (MSW)

Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW) (only in BC)

Registered Social Worker (RSW) (*)

(*) Note: A RSW designation is not standard across the country. Some provinces allow
individuals with a 2-year diploma to be RSWs while other provinces require a bachelor
degree in Social Work (BSW). Check the Outpatient Drug Rehab Program section in your
home province for more information.

A Pastoral Counsellor is trained in both psychology and theology and thus can address psychological and spiritual issues. Consider meeting with a pastoral counselor if you are experiencing emotional difficulties and wish to address these matters in the context of religion and spirituality.

The Master of Divinity (M.Div.) is the first professional degree in ministry in Canada and is typically three years in length.

Academic Degrees or Professional Licenses (abbreviations in parentheses):

Marriage and Family Therapists are mental health professionals with a minimum of a master's degree and two years supervised clinical experience. Marriage and family therapists (commonly referred to as MFTs or family therapists) are trained and licensed to independently diagnose and treat mental health and substance abuse problems. Marriage and family therapy is one of the core mental health disciplines and is based on the research and theory that mental illness and family problems are best treated in a family context. Trained in psychotherapy and family systems, marriage and family therapists focus on understanding their clients' symptoms and interaction patterns within their existing environment. MFTs treat predominantly individuals, but also provide couples, family and group therapy. Whomever the client, Family Therapists treat from a relationship perspective that incorporates family systems.

Therapist Locator has a directory listing marriage and family therapists in Canada that treat adolescent and adult substance abuse, alcohol problems, children of alcoholics, eating disorders, mental illness, substance abuse and sexual addiction.

3. Clinical Experience with Drug and Alcohol Addiction:

Few certification boards have a separate standard to confirm the ability of a member therapist when it comes to drug and alcohol knowledge and experience. However, many associations have directories that indicate members who take clients with drug or alcohol problems. These members are listed in canadadrugrehab.ca since they have adequate education and accept clients with addictions.

The only association that requires specific training in drug and alcohol counselling is the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF).

Note: at this time, CACCF does not publish a listing of members. Although canadadrugrehab.ca does list some certified addiction counsellors you may need to contact CACCF directly to locate a member in your community.

4. Cost:

Selecting the right therapist depends on your ability to pay since private practice therapists rarely receive a subsidy for their work from the provincial government (check with your extended health plan to see if your company may cover a portion or all of the cost). Typically, doctorate-level therapists charge more than master\B4s level therapists who, in turn, typically charge more than bachelors- or diploma-level therapists.

An option for individuals and families with limited resources is a Registered Professional Counsellor (RPC). RPCs are required to have completed a minimum of two years of counselling and/or psychotherapy practice under supervision and submit two letters of recommendation from counselling / psychotherapy professionals.

Note: Although CPCA does publish a list of members in their website, specialties (such as substance abuse or addiction counselling) are not listed. Individuals seeking addiction counselling are recommended to call counsellors directly to determine their level of training in addiction work.

Disclaimer: Inclusion or omission of an organization or agency in this database does not imply endorsement or non-endorsement by canadadrugrehab.ca. In no event shall canadadrugrehab.ca be liable for any decision or action taken in reliance on information provided by this referral service. Any questions regarding an alcohol and drug rehab program listing should be directed to that organization. If you believe you need immediate assistance, please call 911 or your local crisis hotline .

MedicalPrograms?

Programs that treat the physical aspects of alcohol and drug misuse such as withdrawal management (detox), addiction medicine, drug testing and methadone maintenance. For more information see the Medical Section.

OutpatientPrograms?

Programs offered once or twice a week with, typically one to three hours per session and are either government-funded (free) or private (ranging $50 to $200 / hour depending on therapist qualifications). Meals and accommodation are NOT provided. For more information see the Outpatient Section.

ResidentialPrograms?

Programs that provide counseling, meals and accommodation. Primary Treatment (usually 30 days) is intensive therapy followed by Support Recovery (usually 6 months or longer) where clients learn to transition back to society. Government-funded residential treatment is usually no cost or $50 per day but requires a referral from a family doctor, medical detox or government-funded outpatient clinic. Private treatment can range from $200 to $500 per day and does not require a referral. For more information see the Residential Section.

Meetings?

Meetings are social gatherings for people who desire to stop drinking (AA, LifeRing, etc.), drugs (NA, CA) or have a loved one that is struggling with alcohol or drugs (Al-Anon, Nar-Anon). These groups are NOT therapy. For more information see the Meetings section.

Interventionists?

Trained professionals that assist families with family members who refuse to get help with an addiction. Fees are not covered by the government and can cost hundreds of dollars up to $5000 (plus travel expenses) depending on the interventionist. For more information see the Find an Interventionist section.